Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has expressed concerns about the physicality of the All Blacks under new head coach Dave Rennie, acknowledging the team's rejuvenated form ahead of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.

The series, set to feature four matches against the All Blacks, is described as 'as tough as it gets' by Erasmus, who highlighted the challenges posed by Rennie's high-tempo, physical style of play.

The article also delves into the recent changes in referee communication protocols, which now require coaches to email referees for meeting requests rather than having direct contact.

Erasmus noted that these changes have limited opportunities for pre-game discussions with officials, raising questions about their impact on match fairness.

Additionally, the article mentions the new system for submitting feedback on refereeing decisions, which restricts coaches to six comments per game but makes all critiques publicly visible.

Erasmus expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness of these protocols, emphasizing the need for clarity while acknowledging the efforts to improve transparency in the game.